Distributing device for automatic compressed-air starting apparatus for internal-combustion engines.



M. CENDRON.

DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC COMPRESSED AIR STARTING APPARATUS FORINTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1912.

1,103,0(11 Patented July 7, 1914.

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M. Gammon.

DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMA'IIO COMPRESSED AIR STARTING APPARATUS FORFig.3.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 110V. 27, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

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M. GENDRON. DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC COMPRESSED AIR. STARTINGAPPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1912. Patentedl'July 7, 1914.

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MARCEL GENDRON, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR. AUTOMATIG CSMFRESSED-AIR STARTING APPARATUS FORINTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Application filed November 27, 1912. Serial No. 733,875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAnonL GENDRON, a citizen of the Republic of France,and a resident of 22 Rue Torricelli, Paris France, have invented acertain new and useful Tmproved Distributing Device for AutomaticCompressed-Air Starting Apparatus for In ternal-Combustion Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to a distributing device forautomatically starting internal combustion engines by compressed air.This distributing devic comprises pistons operated by a cam shaft whichreceives its movement from the en gine shaft and these distributingpistons are automatically disengaged from the action of the cam shaftwhen the supply of compressed air is cut ofi'. Consequently during thenormal running of the engine the only resistance introduced by thestarting device arises from the rotation of the cam shaft. Thisresistance can be made negligible by the employment of ball bearings.

The annexed drawing shows by way of example one method of carrying outthe invention when applied to a four cylinder motor.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the device. Fig. 2 is acorresponding transverse view partly in section on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the controlling apparatus of thestarting device. The Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section through amodified form of the distributing apparatus.

The apparatus comprises four distributing pistons a movable in cylindersZ2 which latter communicate both with the compressed air reservoir bymeans of the passages c and with the englne cylinders by means ofpassages d which may be furnished with stop valves. The pistons a areoperated by rods a provided at their lower ends with rollers a whichride on the cams e on the shaft 6. The springs a tend to keep therollers a always on the surface of the cams 6 The shaft 6 is mounted inball bearings e 'and receives its motion from the principal engineshaft. The cams c are arranged in such a manner that the ports a in thedistributing pistons a make a connection-between the compressed airreservoir and that cylinder in which an expansion has just taken place.

A longitudinally movable bar f traverses openings cut in the rods a ofthe distributing pistons. The bar f terminates at one end in a piston fwhich is movable in a cylinder 9 which latter can b put into connectionwith the reservoir of compressed air by means of the passage 9 At theother end the bar f terminates in a plate f abutting against a spring hwhich tends to move it in the direction of the arrow X. Lastly the bar fcarries inclined projections f which can enter the openings a in therods a to effect the raising of the distributing pistons a.

In order to start the engine compressed air is first admitted into thecylinder 9 by the passage 9 The bar f is pushed in a direction oppositeto that of the arrow X. The rollers a therefore come into position overthe cams e and the distributing device is ready to operate. Compressedair is then admitted by the passages c as far as the distributingpistons a which allow its admission to the proper cylinder.

When the engine is running the compressed air admission is stopped. Thebar f is automatically displaced by the action of the spring h in thedirection of the arrow X. The inclined projections f enter the openingsa of the rods a and raise the distributing pistons 64 which thereuponcease to be in engagement with the shaft 5. This latter continues torotate but requires only a very small expenditure of energy by reason ofit being mounted on ball bearings.

Fig. 3 shows by way of example one means of operating the apparatuswhich controls the starting device. The apparatus comprises threechambers i, j and 70 arranged one above the other. The chamber icommunicates by a passage '6 with the compressed air reservoir and withthe chamber 7' by means of a valve j kept in place by a spring 7' Thestem of this valve terminates in a push stud j The chamber j isconnected with the cylinder 9 by the passage 9 It can communicate withthe chamber is by means of a valve 70 kept in place by a spring 70 Thestem of the valve 70 is placed in line with that of the valve i but itis separated therefrom by a distance of a few millimeters. The chamber7: communicates through the passages a with the distributing pistons.When the push stud j is pressed 7 (by the foot for example) the valve jis first opened and compressed air is in consequence admitted into thecylinder 9 and thus puts the distributing pistons into en'- gagement. Ifthe pressure on the stud is continued the stem of the valve 7' comes upagainst that of the valve and causes the lowering of the latter.Consequently compressed air is admitted by the passages a to thedistributing pistons.

In the Fig. 4: the distributing pistons a are replaced by the clackvalves Z mounted on the ends of the stems Z which are prolongations ofthe rods (4 The valves Z are furnished on their under side with a fiberwasher Z which comes to rest when the valve is lowered on a circular ribm of the valve seat m. The valve chamber a communicates with thecompressed air reservoir through the passage n and with a lower chamber0 through the agency of openings a formed in the seat m. The seat atserves as a guide for the valve stem Z In the chamber 0 moves a stopvalve p of hollowed leather mounted at the base of the stem Z andintended to prevent the escape of compressed air toward the casing. Thechamber 0 communicates through the passage 0 with the engine cylinder.

The rollers a can be applied tothe surfaces of the cams e by means ofsprings analogous to the spring a of the device above described. Butthese can be dispensed with as the drawing shows, the pressure of thecompressed air being suflicient to keep the rollers 41 in contact withthe cams 0 All the other members of the device remain identical withthose described in connection with the Figs. 1 to 3.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. In an explosion engine, a starting device comprisinga chamber having a port adapted to be connected to an explosioncylinder, a second port adapted to be connected to a source ofcompressed air, a valve in said chamber controlling the flow of air fromone port to the other in said chamber, a valve rod, a cam shaft adaptedto be constantly driven from the engine, a cam thereon against whichsaid valve rod bears in operative position and a bar with cam shouldermovable transversely to said valve rod and engaging the same to lift andhold it out of engagement with the cam on the cam shaft, during thenormal operation of the engine substantially as described.

2. In an explosion engine, a starting device comprising a series ofchambers each having a port adapted to be connected to an explosioncylinder and a second port adapted to be connected to a source ofcompressed air, a valve in each chamber controlling the flow of air fromone port to the other in said chamber, a valve rod for each valve, a camshaft adapted to be constantly driven from the engine, a series ofdifferently arranged cams thereon one for each valve rod andagainstwhich said rods bear in operative position, and a bar with a series ofcam shoulders one for each valve rod, said bar being movabletransversely to the valve rods and engaging the latter to lift and holdthe same out of engagement with their respective cams on the cam shaft,during the normal operation of the engine substantially as described.

3. In an explosion engine, a starting device comprising a chamber havinga port adapted to be connected to an explosion cylinder, a second portadapted to be connected to a source of compressed air, a valve in saidchamber controlling the flow of air from one port to the other in saidchamber, a valve rod, a cam shaft adapted to be constantly driven fromthe engine, a cam thereon against which said valve rod bears inoperative position and a bar with cam shoulder movable transversely tosaid valve rod and engaging the same to lift it out of engagement withthe cam on the cam shaft, a piston at one end of said bar and a springat the other end of said bar, and means in connection therewith formoving said bar in opposite directions transversely of the valve rods.

4:. In an explosion engine, a starting device comprising a chamberhaving a port adapted to be connected to an explosion cylinder, a secondport adapted to be connected to a source of compressed air, a valve insaid chamber controlling the flow of air'from one port to the other insaid chamber, a valve rod, a cam shaft adapted to be constantly drivenfrom the engine, a cam thereon against which said valve rod bears inoperative position and a bar with cam shoulder movable transversely tosaid valve rod and engaging the same to lift it out of engagement withthe cam on the cam shaft, a piston on one end of said cam bar, acylinder therefor, in combination with an oper ating valve device andmeans controlled thereby for admitting compressed air first to thecylinder of the transverse bar piston and then to the chamber having aport adapted to be connected to the explosion engine.

5. In an explosion engine, a starting device comprising a chamber havinga port adapted to be connected to an explosion cylinder, a second portadapted to be connected to a source of compressed air, a valve in saidchamber controlling the flow of air from one port to the other in saidchamber, a valve rod, a cam shaft adapted to be constantly driven fromthe engine, a cam thereon against which said valve rod bears inoperative position and a bar with cam shoulder movable transversely tosaid valve rod and engaging the same to lift it out of engagement withthe cam on the cam shaft, a piston on one end of said cam bar, acylinder therefor, in combination with an operating valve devicecomprising communicating chambers to one of which a connection isadapted to be made from a source of compressed air, independent Valvescontrolling the communication between the chambers on the one hand andthe admission of air from the source of supply to one of said chamberson the other hand, said chambers each having a discharge port, oneadapted to be connected to the cylinder of the cam bar piston and theother to the chamber connected to the explosion cylinder, and a pushdevice for opening said valves consecutively to admit compressed airfirst to the cylinder of the cam bar piston and then to the chamberconnected to the explosion cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARCEL GENDRON.

Witnesses CHARLES DoNY, LI JON Gnnmrr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Oommluloner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

